Cinderella
by Chibi's Sister
Summary: Halloween oneshot. Sequel to Spirit and Haunting. Kaiba's resolved to forget about his ghostly visitor, but that doesn't mean she's forgotten about him. Blueshipping.


A/N: This concludes the "three-shot" begun with _Spirit _and _Haunting_. Apologies for errors; I hope to edit more fully after the holiday. Hope you enjoy anyway.

It was a crisp, clear night; only pale wisps of clouds veiled the glittering stars and full moon. There was a slight chill to the breeze drifted across the balcony, sweeping the hustle and bustle of the ballroom away into a mere murmur, but it was October, that was to be expected. Seto Kaiba let the wind brush through his hair as he stared up at the night sky, contemplating the pinpoints of light that twinkled in the darkness above.

"Remind me why I agreed to this again," he said, not bothering to turn to look at the shadow he knew had followed him from the ballroom.

Mokuba shrugged. "Holiday cheer?" he suggested brightly, chuckling when Kaiba scoffed. "Lighten up, Seto," he told his brother, coming to stand beside him at the railing. "Look, it's the perfect night."

Seto glanced cursorily at the sky. "I've been told," he said dryly, "at least seven times tonight."

"Well, it's true." It took far more than a few grunts and wry remarks to bring down Mokuba's good spirits. "But you should probably come in now. Roland's getting ansty, saying people could come any minute now."

Kaiba could care less what Roland was nattering about, but it probably would be appropriate for him to greet his guests himself. Reluctantly, he let Mokuba led him back into the ballroom where servants scurried about with frantic last minute preparations, while higher-level staff wandered around, looking almost uniformly ridiculous in their costumes. As soon as he caught sigh of him, Roland rushed up to Kaiba, looking incredibly uncomfortable in green paint, ripped up clothes, and bolts taped to his neck.

"Mr. Kaiba, you're here!" he exclaimed in relief. "Your guests could be arriving any minute."

"Just what are you supposed to be?" Kaiba asked, his nose wrinkling slightly.

"Frankenstein," Roland admitted sheepishly.

"Frankenstein," Kaiba repeated incredulously. His eyes wandered over Roland. The man was generally useful, so long as his tasks didn't require too much finesse. He wasn't the type you could dismiss as a complete moron. But still, _Frankenstein?_

Evidently sensing that his brother was about to say something regrettable, Mokuba hastily stepped in. "Well, I think your costume looks great, Roland," he assured him. "Hey, you'd better check to make sure we have plenty of nacho chips. We don't want to run out."

Kaiba shook his head as Roland hurried off. "Frankenstein?" he repeated. "Frankenstein is the name of the doctor, not the monster. It's _Frankenstein's monster_. The monster doesn't have a name."

"We can't all be child prodigies, Seto," Mokuba told him. Suddenly, his face brightened. "Look, it's Yugi!"

"Oh, joy." Kaiba sighed. "Great, he brought Team Friendship with him."

"Be nice," Mokuba warned, before dashing forward to greet the new arrivals. Yugi was dressed as a mummy, pointy hair sticking out from awkwardly wrapped ace bandages. Beside him was a green-faced witch he assumed was Gardner. The mutt had not caught on to the obvious costume choice and was dressed as a pirate. He'd brought his kid sister along; she was wearing a sparkly pink dress and tiara and smiling at that other kid, the one with the pointy hair, Taylor, who was apparently some kind of knight. Looked like the gang was all here. Great.

"I love your Rude Kaiser outfit," Téa was gushing to Mokuba, who smiled and thanked her politely.

"What's your costume, rich boy?" Wheeler said. Kaiba looked at him, eyes boring into him like blue drillbits. The mutt gulped and looked away. Kaiba smirked.

He was relieved from further aggravation by the arrival of "real guests", business associates that required an attempt at civility and conversation. Kaiba found himself busy moving from one guest to the next. The ball—Kaiba couldn't remember exactly which suit had suggested it or why he hadn't fired the man on the spot—had turned out to be a success, at least in the way of attendance. Finally finding a spare moment, Kaiba surveyed the crowded ball room, recognizing several of his department heads, various heads of Kaiba Corp's subsidiaries, and even a few "ambassadors" from some of Kaiba Corp's business partners. That was in addition to the handful of top staff, like Roland, who ranked invitations, as well as the Lollipop Guild, and a few handfuls of top duelists, like Vivian Wong, making the rounds in a stunning elaborate cheongsam, Mai Valentine, drawing stares in a rather revealing "Cyber Harpie" outfit—Mutt was practically drooling, Ishizu Ishtar, in full "King Tut" regalia, along with her brothers, and that pint-sized hacker, Rebecca Hawkins, who was dressed as a cowgirl…and talking to Mokuba…who was blushing. Hmmm.

Before Kaiba could consider this turn of events, he was tapped on the shoulder by a flirtatious blonde.

"Care to dance?" she offered, green eyes peering at him through low, downcast lashes.

Kaiba stared at her for a second. A Bixby, he decided, of Bixby Electronics, a second-rate little company, whose services were easily replaced. "No," he said shortly, turned, and left. Just because there was dancing, and this was his party, his home, and his dance floor, didn't mean that he planned to dance, especially not with some bimbo, and especially not when the orchestra was inexplicably playing "Thriller." This should be obvious, especially considering his less than stellar record for congeniality. Yet somehow, this obvious truth escaped no less than four hopeful debutantes, and one Vivian Wong. A scowl furrowed Kaiba's face. Between the dance requests and the polite chit-chat he was forced to make with business executives, all the social climbing and networking was beginning to wear down his last nerve.

He surveyed the room again and found his gaze drawn to the dance floor, which had grown surprisingly crowded. His lip curled slightly as he noted that all of the women he'd turned down had found other dance partners. Besides social climbers and corporate suits, a generous handful of duelists twirled on the floor along with—surprise, surprise—the geek squad. Gardner looked surprisingly competent, even partnered with the awkwardly shorter and clumsier Yugi. Next to them, the pointy-haired kid, Taylor, shuffled along awkwardly with the mutt's sister. The mutt himself was across the room, having somehow convinced Mai Valentine to dance with him. Kaiba sighed and wished that if Wheeler had to dance in Kaiba's ballroom, next to Ralph Delaney, who happened to be an important Kaiba Corp business associate, and his wife, he would have the sense not to do it with a ridiculously goofy grin on his face.

He watched the couples pass by. Vivian Wong winked at him as she drifted by on the arm of Marik Ishtar. Ishtar's sister wasn't far behind, dancing with a dark-haired man Kaiba couldn't place. He fit her Egypt motif anyway. Behind them, he caught a glimpse of a familiar black-haired runt trying to slow-dance with a girl in pigtails and a cowboy hat. He suppressed a grin. He was about to walk away when a voice came from behind him.

"Would you care to join me for a dance?"

Not again. A scowl furrowed Kaiba's face and a biting retort was at the tip of his tongue, when he felt a soft touch on his shoulder.

"Seto?"

That voice. That sad, soft voice. A cold tingle raced through his blood. It couldn't be…He turned, hardly daring to breathe. There she was, a faint smile playing at her lips as her vivid blue eyes met his.

"Kisara," he breathed. He nearly didn't trust his eyes. After last year, he hadn't dared to even hope that she would come. He had suppressed every hopeful imagination out of his head; it was too painful. If he was honest with himself, that was why he hadn't squelched this ridiculous idea of a ball but had authorized it instead. The ball would occupy his time and thoughts. The ball would surround him with people. He didn't want to be alone yet another dark Halloween night, and find himself waiting.

He hadn't waited. He hadn't hoped, or even dreamed. But here she was.

Here she was, standing in front of him, looking exactly as he'd remembered her, milky skin, hair the color of moonbeams, and those brilliant, sparkling eyes like stars of lapis lazuli. "Shall we dance?" she repeated.

Kaiba didn't need a second invitation. Half-convinced this was all a dream, he slid his hand onto her waist and felt an icy tingle shiver through his fingertips, like the last time he had touched her. But this didn't feel exactly like last time; she felt more solid, more _real_. She gently laid her hand on his shoulder and took his hand in hers. Her eyes met Kaiba's and she smiled. Icy tingles merged with floods of delicious warmth as he drew her close and they began to dance.

She wore a full gown of ice blue that twinkled in the light as she moved, and a delicate silver headband held those pale, silky strands off her face. She was beautiful. "Is that a costume?" he asked teasingly.

She gave him a playful nod. "But where's your costume, Seto? This is a costume party, after all."

Kaiba drew himself up. "A costume would be beneath…" he started up to say stiffly, then caught himself and stopped.

Kisara smiled. "Ah, now I see the mask you wear, Seto, the mask of a man with no heart." There was a wistful look in her eyes. "I think I prefer you not in costume."

Kaiba looked down and swallowed. After a moment, he said, "You have guessed my costume, but I haven't guessed yours. Who are you?"

Kisara smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "I'm Cinderella." She touched his cheek gently. "Here at the ball, dancing with my Prince Charming."

The orchestra, finished with Michael Jackson, was playing something soft and slow, with a haunting melody. The music wafted over the couple as they took to the floor, slowly swaying in tandem. The other dancers, the noise around them, the ballroom itself seemed to fade away, utterly inconsequential now. All that mattered was the two of them together, at last. After millennia of separation, they were so close, holding each other, swaying to the same rhythm, touching body and soul. Every lingering second seemed a blissful eternity. For once, Kaiba didn't want to ask how or why, all he wanted to do was hold this woman, this beautiful, precious woman close to him and never let go. For the first time in his life, Kaiba understood that trite, sappy phrase, "I wish this moment could last forever."

Kisara raised her eyes to his. "So do I," she whispered against his cheek.

Kaiba could see the sadness in her eyes. He pulled her closer, as if she would slip from his fingers. "Why can't it?" He touched her cheek gently. "I'm never letting you go, Kisara."

She shook her head. "You have to let me go, Seto." She smiled wistfully. "I'm dead."

_No_. She was so warm, so vibrant, so real. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest. "That was the past. This is now, Kisara, this is real. We make our own future."

"No, _you_ make your own future." Her soft voice was unmistakably tinged with sadness. "I don't have a future, Seto. I gave it you. Remember?"

Her soft, urgent whisper echoed in his head. Now was not the time for denial and self-delusion. "Yes," he said. "Yes I do." Emotion trembled in his voice. "I remember you in my arms…" he closed his eyes. "Saying my name. Dying. You sacrificed yourself for me." His eyes opened as he shook his head. "I can't bear it, Kisara. I can't lose you again, not when I've finally found you."

"You've never lost me, Seto. I am always with you, you know that."

"It's not the same," he whispered. "I need you, Kisara. Stay with me."

She smiled wistfully. "You know I can't. We only have tonight." She laid her head on his shoulder as they slowly turned about the room.

Kaiba looked down at her, his hand slipping up to stroke her long, silky hair. "I'll wait," he whispered. "I'll wait for you, Kisara. It's not enough, just one night each year, but we'll make each night last an eternity." He swallowed. "I love you, Kisara."

Something wet fell on his hand and as Kisara looked up at him, he realized she was crying. "Oh, Seto," she whispered. "It's just tonight. This is the last time."

"The last…No." His hands tightened around her. 'No, I won't allow it."

Tears still trickled onto her cheeks, but she laughed, "Seto," shaking her head gently. "You can't always fight fate." Her hand slid off his shoulder and cupped his cheek. "For only three nights can I sojourn in the waking world. Tonight is the last time I can see you."

Kaiba felt like he had been turned to stone. "How long?" he whispered. "How long do we have?"

"Not long." Kisara sighed. "Let's just enjoy this moment, while it lasts." She leaned into him as they danced, swirling and whirling as the music drifted around them. Kaiba tried to impress every moment, every movement, every touch into his memory, but it was all so fast, so fleeting. Before he knew it, she would be gone.

He guided her to the balcony he had stood on earlier. They stood together, gazing at the night sky. "The stars," Kisara murmured, "it's been millennia since I've seen them. They're so beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as your eyes," Kaiba said honestly, touching her cheek.

She lifted her head and smiled wistfully at him. "I love you, Seto. No matter what, don't forget that. Don't forget me."

"How could I ever forget you?" He laughed, a laugh heavily tinged with bitterness and despondency. "You're my miracle, Kisara."

"Life is a miracle," she said. "Don't lose sight of what you have."

"I can't ignore what I've lost," Kaiba argued, "or what I'm about to lose."

"You'll never lose me, Seto. I promise you that. You just have to let go for a while."

Seto smiled, a sad, wistful smile, but a true smile nonetheless. "Oh, Kisara, I love you."

Gently, he lifted her chin and bent his lips to hers. Her lips were responsive beneath his, soft and sweet. He pulled her closer and closer, reveling in her warmth as she entwined her fingers in his hair. But as he deepened his kiss, he felt a tingle go through him, not the fiery thrill of her lips, but a cold shiver, like icy fingers clutching at him.

Kisara broke off the kiss and looked at him with sad eyes. She touched his face gently. He gasped. Her hands felt like ice—no, ice was more solid.

"Kisara!" He stared at her in horror.

"I'm sorry, my love," she told him. Already she was beginning to look immaterial, translucent, like a bad hologram.

"No! Kisara, please! Don't go!" he pleaded desperately, clutching at her frozen skin and reeling when his hand slipped through her shoulders. "Kisara, I love you." Tears sprang to his eyes and one began to slowly roll down his cheek. Kisara touched it with her ghostly fingertips.

"Seto," she whispered. "I love you. I always will. But you have to let me go now. It's midnight and the spell is broken."

"Kisara—"

She put a finger to his lips. "Didn't I tell you? I'm Cinderella." There was a bright glow, and then she was gone.

Kaiba stared brokenly at where she had stood, letting the tears roll down his cheek. He didn't know how long he stood there, motionless, but eventually he realized that no matter how little he felt like it, he had to return to the party.

He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and went inside. The deep scowl on his face warned anyone who knew anything to stay away. Even Mokuba only shot him a concerned look. A few empty-headed baubles of society gathered to coo over him—one had the audacity to assume Kisara had rejected him and called her things that Kaiba wanted to strangle her on the spot for—but Roland quickly shooed them away before Kaiba could cause the company stocks to plummet.

As before, Kaiba stood on the fringes of the party, in front of the punch bowl, watching the proceedings with stony eyes. He felt an aura of disapproval hovering over him and he knew this was not what Kisara had wanted, but it was all he could do. What did she want, for him to throw himself at those society bimbos?

He heard a rustle of fabric and saw Ishizu Ishtar standing in front of him, head low. "Excuse me, Seto Kaiba," she said quietly.

He moved so she could get a cup of punch, but noticed that she was alone. "What happened to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?" he asked wryly. "Ditch you on a balcony?"

She raised her head defiantly and he saw that her eyes were red. He frowned and glanced around the room. Her dark-haired man was nowhere in sight. A strange shiver went through him. "Maybe he absconded with my date," he said softly. He felt an unseen nudge towards Ishizu, who had sipped from her punch and then set it down. "Would you care to dance?"

As the pair slowly, stiffly set out onto the dance floor, a blue-eyed girl with long, pale hair watched from above. She smiled and shook her head sadly. "He was certainly stubborn enough about it," she said softly.

"They're both stubborn," her companion said. "They'll be at each other throat's by the end of the night, I shouldn't wonder."

"But they'll be alright, won't they?"

He smiled. "Yes, they'll be alright. Come on, Kisara, it's time for us to go." He reached out his hand and she took it with a wistful smile.

"Thank you, Mahad."


End file.
